Ten organizations will receive a total of $7.5 million in contracts from the state’s opioid settlement fund for harm-reduction interventions.
The funds will be directed toward priority populations such as Black, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and unhoused New Yorkers who are vulnerable to overdoses, according to the state Department of Health. The funds will aim to address social determinants of health that may increase an individual’s propensity for overdosing, such as lack of housing, racism and poverty.
Thirteen contracts were approved for 10 organizations, including the National Harm Reduction Coalition, Justice Innovation, The Bridge, The Fortune Society, Housing Works, Cayuga County, AIDS Council of Northeastern New York, AIDS Center of Queens County, Best Self Behavioral Health and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The funding will total $3.75 million annually for two years once the contracts are approved by the state comptroller, with an option to expand them for an additional two years. Each organization will receive about $300,000 in contracts in the first year, with the exception of the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York, which will receive nearly $500,000, and Justice Innovation, which will receive $900,000 over three separate contracts for three separate priority population projects, according to Cadence Acquaviva, a health department spokeswoman.
The state has up to $2.6 billion in settlements from lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors. So far, more than $300 million has been allocated.
Amanda Glodowski , 2024-05-22 11:33:03
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